Attachment of control lines to outside of tubular

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a downhole apparatus including a tubular and at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular. At least one cover is secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface. Further disclosed is a downhole tubular system including at least two tubular apparatus, each tubular apparatus including at least one tubular and at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular. At least one cover is secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface. The system further includes at least one coupling clamp located at a coupling of the at least two tubular apparatus.

BACKGROUND

In the drilling and completion arts, lengths of tubing known as a string is installed for various purposes such as drilling, injection, production, etc. The art in more recent years has become increasingly interested in monitoring and control of devices in the downhole environment. To accommodate this interest, lines such as fiber optic lines, electric lines, hydraulic lines, etc are installed adjacent the string. The lines may be installed in a number of positions relative to the string such as at the inside dimension of the string, somewhere within various concentric layers of the string or outside of the string, for example, on a surface thereof or spaced therefrom. Depending upon where the lines are run, they may or may not be subject to mechanically inflicted damage during running of the string in the hole. While various methods are known to protect lines at the outside dimension of the string such as channels, grooves, etc. the art is still interested in alternative means for protecting the lines that provides good protection at rapid speed and with minimal complexity of installation.

SUMMARY

A downhole apparatus includes a tubular and at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular. At least one cover is secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface.

A downhole tubular system includes at least two tubular apparatus, each tubular apparatus including at least one tubular and at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular. At least one cover is secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface. The system further includes at least one coupling clamp located at a coupling of the at least two tubular apparatus. The at least one coupling clamp includes at least two collars. At least one collar of the at least two collars is located at each side of the coupling. Each collar includes a coupling body extending around a circumference of the outer surface defining a coupling protected space between the coupling body and the outer surface. A coupling sleeve extends between the at least two collars.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a downhole tubular apparatus;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the downhole tubular apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of a downhole tubular apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of a downhole apparatus;

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of a cross-coupling clamp of a downhole apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of a cross-coupling clamp.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Shown in FIG. 1 a portion of a string 10. The string 10 is a length of tubing installed in a downhole environment for various purposes such as drilling, injection and/or production. In some embodiments, the string 10 includes a plurality of centralizers 12 which extend outwardly from an outer surface 14 of the string 10 to prevent damage to the string 10 when the string 10 is run into or removed from the downhole environment. The plurality of centralizers 12 are disposed along a length of the string 10 and also around a perimeter of the string 10. The plurality of centralizers 12 may be secured to the string 10 by any conventional means, including welding and/or one or more mechanical fasteners such as bolts, or may be formed integral to the string 10. While the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of centralizers 12, it is to be appreciated that in some embodiments, centralizers 12 may be absent from the string 10.

To monitor and/or control one or more devices downhole, one or more monitoring or control lines 16 extend along the outer surface 14 of the string 10. The lines may be, for example, electrical lines, hydraulic lines, and/or fiber optic lines, or the like. Further, while four lines 16 are shown in FIG. 1, it is to be appreciated that other quantities of lines 16, for example one, two, or ten lines 16 are contemplated herein. As shown in FIG. 2, at least one cover 18 is utilized to protect the one or more lines 16 from damage via, for example, impact while installing the string 10 in a hole. As shown, the cover 18 may be curved in a circumferential direction but it is to be understood that a cover without curvature is also contemplated. The cover 18 may extend substantially the length of a joint of the string 10. In some embodiments, perhaps because of the length of cover 18 necessary to protect the lines 16, it may be desired to utilize a quantity of covers 18 arranged axially along the string 10 instead of a single continuous cover 18. In some embodiments, the covers 18 may substantially abut, while in other embodiments, the covers 18 may have a gap between the covers to facilitate removal or opening of the covers 18. In one embodiment, each cover 18 will extend about 10 feet. The cover 18 may be affixed to one or more supports 20 extending outwardly from the outer surface 14. The supports 20 may be affixed to the outer surface 14 by welding or by other means including, for example, bolts.

As shown in FIG. 1, the supports 20 may be arranged so the lines 16 are located between two supports 20. The supports 20 are tall enough so that when the cover 18 is in a closed position as shown in FIG. 2, a protected space 22 between the cover 18 and the outer surface 14 of the string 10 is of sufficient dimensions for the lines 16 to be received therein and protected. In some embodiments, the cover 18 is located circumferentially between two centralizers 12. The cover 18 may be attached to the one or more supports 20 via a hinge 24 at a hinge side 26 of the cover 18. The hinge 24 allows the cover 18 to be opened and closed while remaining attached to the string 10. To ensure the cover 18 remains closed when desired, a non-hinge side 28 of the cover 18 includes a securement configuration to secure the cover 18 in a closed position. The securement configuration may be, for example, a fastener 30 (threaded, rivet, etc) extending through a cover hole 32 in the cover 18 into the support 20. Further, the securement configuration may be a clip, pin, magnet, or other suitable closure means. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the cover 18 includes a retaining hook 34 which may be a substantially U-shaped bend in the non-hinge side 28 of the cover 18. The retaining hook 34 is configured to engage with a detent 36 which is, for example, formed into the support 20 disposed at the non-hinge side 28. When the cover 18 is moved from an open position towards a closed position, the retaining hook 34 slides along a ramp portion 38 of the support 20 until engaging the detent 36. While the detent 36 is illustrated with flat surfaces and sharp angles, a more rounded cross section is also contemplated.

In some embodiments, the cover 18 is secured to the supports 20 without a hinge 24, and has screws 30, retaining hooks 34 or other mechanisms to secure the cover 18 to the supports 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the cover 18 includes retaining hooks 34 at each circumferential end of the cover 18, which engage to detents 36 on each support 20. In this embodiment, the cover 18 is installed by, for example, urging the cover 18 in a radially inward direction to engage the retaining hooks 34 to the detents 36.

In some embodiments, it is desirable to have lines 16 installed along the length of the string 10, across couplings of adjacent joints of the string 10. Referring to FIG. 5, a cross-coupling clamp 40 may be disposed at the coupling of two joints of string 10. The cross-coupling clamp 40 axially overlaps each joint of string 10 and circumferentially surrounds the string 10. The cross-coupling clamp 40 includes a collar 42 disposed at each end and a sleeve 44 extending axially between the two collars 42 across a coupling between the joints of the string 10. Referring to FIG. 6, each collar 42 includes at least one coupling hinge 46 and two coupling arms 48 extending from the coupling hinge 46. Each coupling arm 48 may include at least one coupling spacer 50 that, when the collar 42 is closed around the string 10 defines a coupling protected space 52 between the outer surface 14 and the coupling arm 48. The size of coupling spacer 50 used determines a height of the coupling protected space 52, and different sized coupling spacers 50 may be utilized depending on a size of lines 16 and/or desired height of the coupling protected space 52. In some embodiments, the coupling protected space 52 height is greater than a thickness of lines 16 that are disposed in the coupling protected space 52. This provides a coupling protected space 52 that extends around the circumference of the string 10 and allows for a helical arrangement of the lines 16 in the coupling protected space 52 to, for example, compensate for any variation in circumferential alignment of adjacent string joints 10 at the coupling. Referring again to FIG. 5, each coupling arm 48 includes a plurality of coupling fingers 54 configured to interlock with coupling fingers 54 of the other coupling arm 48 when the collar 42 is closed around the string 10. With the coupling fingers 54 interlocked, the cross-coupling clamp 40 is secured in the closed position by, for example, a coupling pin (not shown) installed through a plurality of coupling finger holes (not shown) in the plurality of coupling fingers 54 to prevent the cross-coupling clamp 40 from opening unexpectedly.

Referring again to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the string 10 includes a screen 56 at the outer surface 14 to filter flow entering the string 10 for undesired materials. In some embodiments, the outer surface 14 may be a flow through tubular 58 having at least one line 16 attached thereto. The line 16 attached to the flow through tubular 58 may be a control line or monitoring line that is, for example, an electric line, hydraulic line, fiber optic line or the like.

While one or more embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation. 

1. A downhole apparatus comprising: a tubular; at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular; and at least one cover secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface.
 2. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one cover is secured to a first support of the at least one support via at least one hinge.
 3. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one support includes at least one detent to secure the at least one cover.
 4. The downhole apparatus of claim 3 wherein the at least one cover is secured to the at least one detent via at least one retaining hook.
 5. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one cover is secured to the at least one support via at least one of a threaded fastener.
 6. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one cover is secured to the at least one support via at least one clip.
 7. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 comprising a plurality of centralizers extending outwardly from the outer surface.
 8. The downhole apparatus of claim 7 wherein the at least one cover is disposed circumferentially between two adjacent centralizers of the plurality of centralizers.
 9. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one cover is at least two covers disposed axially along a length of the tubular.
 10. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality of lines are disposed in the protected space.
 11. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular is a screen segment.
 12. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular is a flow through tubular with one or more lines attached thereto.
 13. A downhole tubular system comprising: at least two tubular apparatus, each tubular apparatus including; at least one tubular; at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular; and at least one cover secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface; at least one coupling clamp disposed at a coupling of the at least two tubular apparatus including: at least two collars, at least one collar of the at least two collars disposed at each side of the coupling, each collar including a coupling body extending around a circumference of the outer surface defining a coupling protected space between the coupling body and the outer surface; and a coupling sleeve extending between the at least two collars.
 14. The downhole system of claim 13 comprising at least one line disposed in the coupling protected space.
 15. The downhole system of claim 14 wherein the at least one line is at least one control line.
 16. The downhole system of claim 14 wherein the at least one line is at least one fiber optic line.
 17. The downhole system of claim 14 wherein the coupling protected space is configured to allow for helical arrangement of the at least one line.
 18. The downhole system of claim 13 wherein the coupling collar comprises at least one coupling hinge.
 19. The downhole system of claim 18 including at least two coupling arms extending from the at least one coupling hinge circumferentially around the outer surface.
 20. The downhole system of claim 13 including at least one coupling spacer disposed between the coupling body and the outer surface to define the coupling protected space therebetween.
 21. The downhole system of claim 13 wherein the coupling protected space extends substantially around the entire circumference of the outer surface.
 22. The downhole system of claim 13 wherein the at least one tubular is at least one screen segment.
 23. The downhole system of claim 13 wherein the at least one tubular is at least one flow through tubular with one or more lines attached thereto. 